On the
Inside
New $31 million
Catholic school opens
in New Orleans
Five years after Katrina,
the Sisters of the Holy Family’s
tradition of education in New
Orleans once again found
new life with the completion of
a new $31 million St. Mary’s
Academy. Read more on page
9 about how hard work and
perseverance pays off five
years after Katrina.

Fr. Ignatius Ibe
completes Basic
Training
When a 5’3” priest, who
has always dreamed of entering the military but couldn’t
because of his height, sees an
opportunity to fulfill his dream,
he takes advice from his superior seriously. Find out who
gave Fr. Ignatius Ibe the best
advice before leaving for Basic
Training. See pg. 8

Lent

Joining Christ in his 40 days of
penance, fasting, and prayer
A woman receives ashes at St. Francis of Assisi Church
in New York on Ash Wednesday March 9. (CNS photo/
Gregory A. Shemitz)

Page 2

March 14, 2011

Priests fear for safety if Islamic group takes over Libya
By Doreen Abi Raad
Catholic News Service
BEIRUT (CNS) -- Christians
in Libya are afraid that a takeover
of the country by Islamic
fundamentalists, should leader
Moammar Gadhafi fall, would
threaten their safety, said a
Franciscan priest who has served
in the North African nation for
seven years.
“Under Gadhafi, we’ve
been protected,” the priest told
Catholic News Service from
Rome Feb. 24, eight days after
leaving the country on a preplanned trip. He asked not to be
identified so as not to jeopardize
his return to Libya.
The priest said he left Libya
the day before a revolt against
Gadhafi started in the eastern city
of Benghazi. Because plans for
the protest had been announced
days beforehand, tensions rose
between Gadhafi supporters and
opposition leaders, he said.
“I didn’t expect so much to
happen,” he said, referring to the
rapid escalation of violence that
left at least 300 dead and more
than 3,000 injured.
The uprising is the most
recent and most violent in a tide
of protests against autocratic
leaders in the region. Gadhafi
rose to power following a coup in
1969.
One of 13 Franciscans
serving the apostolic vicariates
of Tripoli, the Libyan capital,
and Benghazi, the priest said it
was difficult being away from the
parishioners he serves during a
time of distress.
“At this time I feel I should
be with the people. I could be a
support to them. Even though
we wouldn’t have access to a
lot of communication, we could
be in touch with one another
somehow,” he said.
Communication with Libya
was nearly impossible as the
opposition gained new supporters
in western areas Feb. 24.
Internet and mobile phones were
blocked; telephone lines operated
sporadically.
The Franciscans are assigned
to St. Francis Church in Tripoli
and Immaculate Conception
Church in Benghazi.
There
are
no
native
Christians in those areas, but
about 50,000 to 60,000 Christian

PROTESTERS SHOUT SLOGANS DURING DEMONSTRATION IN LIBYA.
Protesters shout slogans during a demonstration in Benghazi, Libya, Feb.
24. Christians in Libya are afraid that a takeover of the country by Islamic
fundamentalist should leader Moammar Gadhafi fall would threaten their
safety, said a Franciscan priest who has served in the North African nation for
seven years. (CNS photo/Suhaib Salem, Reuters)

migrant workers, mostly from
Africa, work in Libya.
Describing religious practice
at the Franciscan missions in
Libya, the priest said, “The Libyan
government has given complete
freedom to the Christians to
practice our Christianity.”
The government recognizes
five dominations of Christianity:
Roman Catholic; Coptic; Greek
Orthodox, Anglican and the
Union Church, a Protestant
church in Africa, he said.
Aside from the two parish
churches, Mass can be celebrated
in hospitals and at private
companies where Catholics work,
the priest said. Priests and nuns
also are allowed to visit inmates
in prison to provide spiritual
counseling
and
emotional
support, he said.

Because Friday is a nonworking day in honor of Muslim
prayers, the churches celebrate
five Masses for Africans, Indians,
Filipinos, Eritreans and Koreans,
the major migrant communities
in Libya.
On Sunday, a national
workday, the priests bring the
Mass to the people at sites
ranging from hospitals to oil rigs.
Working on a rotating schedule,
the priests travel from 15 miles
to 745 miles to celebrate Sunday
Mass.
While the police and
government
security
know
the priests minister only to
Christians, the priest said, “We
are always observed wherever we
go, whatever we do,” seemingly
as a precaution that they are not
converting Muslims.

Page 3

March 14, 2011

Obama halts defense of 1996 Marriage Act
Marriage Act defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman
By Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON
(CNS)
-- The U.S. bishops’ Office of
General Counsel said the Obama
administration’s decision to no
longer support the Defense of
Marriage Act in legal challenges
ahead “represents an abdication”
of its “constitutional obligation
to ensure that laws of the United
States are faithfully executed.”
“Marriage
has
been
understood for millennia and
across cultures as the union of one
man and one woman,” the office
said in a statement issued Feb.
23 after President Barack Obama
instructed the Justice Department
to stop defending the federal law
passed by Congress and signed
into law in 1996 by President Bill
Clinton.
The Defense of Marriage
Act says the federal government
defines marriage as a union
between one man and one woman
and that no state must recognize a
same-sex marriage from another
state.
“The principal basis for
today’s decision is that the
president considers the law a
form of impermissible sexual
orientation discrimination,” the
Office of General Counsel said.
In a Feb. 23 statement,
Attorney General Eric Holder said
that although the administration
has defended the 1996 law in
some federal courts, it will
not continue to do so in cases

What is the Defense of Marriage Act?
The Defense of Marriage Act is federal law signed by President Bill Clinton
on Sept. 21, 1996, that defines marriage as a legal union between one
man and one woman and that a state does not need to treat a same-sex
relationship as a marriage, even if it is considered a marriage in another
state. It passed both Houses by large majorities.
Why is this newsworthy now?
On Feb. 23, 2011, President Barack Obama instructed the U.S. Attorney
General (Eric Holder) to cease legal defense of this law on grounds that
it discriminates against sexual orientation.
What does the USCCB have to say about this?
The USCCB says that the refusal to support the federal law is a grave
affront to the millions of Americans who value marriage as a union
between a man and a women.
pending in the 2nd U.S. Circuit
Court of Appeals. Unlike in the
previous cases, said Holder, the
2nd Circuit “has no established
or binding standard for how laws
concerning sexual orientation
should be treated.”
In
response
to
the
announcement, the National
Organization for Marriage, which
opposes same-sex marriage,
called on Congress to “get
lawyers in the courtroom who
actually want to defend the law,
and not please their powerful
political special interests.”
“We have only begun to
fight,” said Brian Brown, president
of the organization. He also said
that with Holder’s announcement,

Obama “unilaterally” declared
homosexuals “a protected class”
under the Constitution and would
effectively make a federal court
decision on the law “unreviewable
by higher courts.”
While
Obama
favors
repealing the law, Holder said
the president has supported
defending it as constitutional if a
state or local law meets the legal
standard of having “a rational
basis” for singling out people
for different treatment based on
sexual orientation.
But in the pending cases,
Holder said, the administration
“faces for the first time the question
of whether laws regarding sexual
orientation are subject to the more

permissive standard of review or
whether a more rigorous standard,
under which laws targeting
minority groups with a history of
discrimination are viewed with
suspicion by the courts, should
apply.”
Obama “has concluded
that given a number of factors,
including a documented history
of discrimination, classifications
based on sexual orientation should
be subject to a more heightened
standard of scrutiny,” Holder’s
statement said.
He added that Obama
has concluded that the law
“as applied to legally married
same-sex couples, fails to meet
that standard and is therefore

unconstitutional. Given that
conclusion, the president has
instructed the department not to
defend the statute in such cases.
I fully concur with the president’s
determination.”
The U.S. bishops’ Office
of General Counsel said refusal
to support the law was “a
grave affront to the millions of
Americans who both reject unjust
discrimination and affirm the
unique and inestimable value of
marriage as between one man and
one woman.”
It also stressed that support
for traditional marriage “is not
bigotry,” but is a “reasonable,
common judgment affirming the
foundational institution of civil
society.” The office said that “any
suggestion by the government
that such a judgment represents
discrimination is a serious threat
to the religious liberty of marriage
supporters nationwide.”
Holder said the legal
landscape has changed since
the law was passed, including
with Supreme Court rulings
overturning laws criminalizing
homosexual conduct and the
repeal by Congress of the
military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell”
policy.
Unless Congress repeals
the Defense of Marriage Act,
or a final court ruling strikes it
down, it will continue to remain
in effect and the administration
will continue to enforce it, Holder
noted.

Page 4
By the time this issue of
Church Today reaches you the season of Lent will already be underway and we will have celebrated
the Rite of Election in the Cathedral. It is always a moving experience to see the large number of
Catechumens and Candidates present from many of our church communities for this annual ceremony.
Based on comments over the years,
those who come are also impacted
when they see so many making the
same journey they are a part of.
This is particularly meaningful for
those in our smaller parishes and
missions.
I presume you have already

March 14, 2011

chosen how you will observe the
days of Lent, but I would still
like to highlight something that
is sometimes forgotten. There is
a simple fact about this season: it
is about God and his mercy and
not about us! That may seem obvious, but sometimes we focus so
much on what we have chosen to

do that we spend too much time on
ourselves and fulfilling our lenten
promises. The readings from sacred scripture, especially for the
Sunday liturgies, remind us in
many ways of the loving mercy of
God and its fulfillment in the death
and resurrection of Jesus. The Old
Testament selections for this first

year in our three-year cycle take us
through major events in the work of
salvation and the Gospel readings,
especially for the 3rd, 4th and 5th
Sundays offers some of great masterpieces of biblical literature and
they fit so well with the journey of
our “elect” as they continue in their
experience of the Rite of Christian
Initiation for Adults (RCIA). Since
the Rite of Election, those preparing for baptism, confirmation and
Eucharist are no longer called catechumens. They are now referred to
as “Elect” because they have chosen or elected for receptions of the
Easter Sacraments at the Solemn
Easter Vigil.

In the Easter Mysteries we all
once again experience of God’s
mercy and forgiveness as we enter
into the Lord’s Passion, Death and
Resurrection. These ninety days
(the Lent and Easter Seasons) encompass one quarter of the entire
liturgical year. May we all take
advantage of this annual renewal
of our faith, symbolized so well in
the sacraments of initiation and the
renewal of baptismal promises on
Easter Sunday!

Object of our prayer should be
Lenten Regulations
to ask what God wants of us
By John Whitehead
Lent presents an opportunity
to review our prayer life.
The fourth part of the
Catechism of the Catholic Church
addresses the Life of Prayer
including several sections on
the battle of prayer. This battle
begins with, human as we are,
objections or excuses for not
praying. Some of these include
reducing prayer to a simple
psychological activity, or an effort
to reach a mental void, or clear
our minds. Some reduce prayer
to ritual words and postures, or
proclaim that they simply “do not
have the time.”
Further, the mentality of the
present world whispers to us that
only what is true is that which can
be verified by reason and science
and prayer is not of this order.
We also live in a world that
rewards production and work in
an economic system founded on
the fundamental law of scarcity.
Therefore, we prize above
all production and efficiency
and since we see prayer as
unproductive, we too readily
categorize it as useless.
What we are really saying
here is that our prayers are not
answered.
To this objection
the Catechism responds with a
question, “Why do we think our
petition has not been heard?”

The Catechism points out
that when we praise God or thank
him for our benefits in general, we
are really not concerned whether
or not our prayer is acceptable.
It is easy to believe that we have
what we have and have achieved
what we have achieved by our
own power, skills, intelligence,
and merits while giving only a
cursory nod to God. Yet when we
ask for certain things we become
childlike and demand to see the
immediate results of our requests.
The problem here is the
image of a “Vegas God” - a slot
machine in which we put in
prayers, pull the handle and hope
for a jackpot return. This makes
God an object or tool be used
at our convenience and not the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Catechism suggests that
the appropriate resolution to this
mentality is to acknowledge that
“we did not know how to pray as
we ought” (Romans 8:26). Do
we ask God for specific results or

do we first ask him what is good
for us? God is our Father and
he knows what we need before
we ask him. God, and only God,
knows what is best for us (cf.
Matthew 6:8).
The object of our prayer
then should be to ask God what
he wants of us. In this way,
we will come to know what is
best for us and accept the trials
and tribulations of life. Just as
a parent does not grant every
petition that a child asks because
the parent knows what is best
for the child in the long run, so
too God knows what is best for
us in the long run. It is true that
most of us do not explicitly hear
answers from God or receive
detailed explanations. Our failure
to humbly accept the will of God,
our failure to persevere in prayer,
and our failure to trust in him is
essentially the same sin of Adam
and Eve who demanded all the
answers and wanted to “be like
God” (cf. Genesis 3:5).

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and
abstinence. This means that we do not eat meat and we have only one
full meal.
The other Fridays of the season of Lent are days of abstinence
from meat. The obligation to abstain from meat binds Catholics 14 years
of age and older. The obligation to fast, limiting oneself to one full meal
and two lighter meals in the course of the day, binds Catholics from the
age of 18 to 59. Those who are younger or older may freely embrace
these disciplines. But Lenten disciplines should never endanger your
health.
It is obvious that abstaining from meat is meaningless for
vegetarians, who must choose some other form of abstinence. It is
equally obvious that replacing meat with a gourmet seafood meal is not
in keeping with the spirit of Lent.

March 14, 2011

Vol. XLI, No. 3

Page 5

March 14, 2011

Giving up sweets again for Lent? -- Try these ideas
temptation and sin and live the
lives that Christ wants us to
live. Make it a priority to go to
Confession during Lent.

We are already a week into
Lent and hopefully, you are still
practicing the committment you
made last week to do something
for Lent.
Or maybe not.
Maybe you never made a
commitment to do something for
Lent and just decided it was too
late or it did not matter.
It’s never too late and it does
matter.
Lent is a time to sacrifice and
strengthen your relationship with
Christ and to foster a better prayer
life. Where ever you are in your
Lenten journey, it is not too late
to start something that will bring
you closer to Christ.
Here are a few ideas:

•

Attend a Lenten Mission.
The diocese is offering a Lenten
Mission in each of the deaneries.
Plan to attend the one in your
area. Some churches are also
offering Lenten Missions. Find a
list of all Missions on our website
at www.diocesealex.org.

•

Fast – besides fasting on
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday,
choose one or two days a week
to fast and choose a method that
works for you (fasting till noon
every day or on certain days,
fasting from certain things like
sweets or wine/beer, etc.). You
will constantly be reminded in a
physical way to pray.

•

Pray more – set aside
time in the morning or evening
for prayer. Focus on reading the
Bible, listening to God, or reading
a daily devotional.

•

Go to Adoration weekly
– some churches have weekly
Holy Hours and others even have
a chapel set aside specifically
for the Blessed Sacrament that’s
open 24/7. Other parishes will
work Adoration into their Lenten
schedules. Just find the time, even
for 10 minutes at a time, to spend
the time with Jesus in this way.

•

• Attend the Stations of the

Cross once a week in your parish.
Some parishes offer an outdoor
stations of the cross, which can
be especially meaningful. Check
the church bulletin in your parish
for the time.

•

Pray the Rosary daily –

Praying the Rosary daily is a
wonderful way to meditate on the
mysteries of Christ’s life and to
learn more about Mary and how to
emulate her piety, humble ways,
trust, prayerful life, patience and
charity.

• Go to

Mass –If you are
not attending Mass every Sunday,

Lenten Missions
MARCH 21 LENTEN MISSION, NATCHITOCHES. St. Anthony of Padua Church in Natchitoches will host a
Lenten mission March 21-24 at 6:30 p.m. The presenter will be Fr. Harold Imamshah.
MARCH 29-31 LENTEN MISSION, SPANISH LAKE. St. Francis of Assisi Church in Powhatan and its mission of
St. Anne will host a Lenten mission March 29 through 31 at 6: 00 p.m. at St. Anne Church in Spanish Lake. The
presenter will be Fr. Ryan Humphries. Everyone is welcome.
APRIL 1-2 ST. AUGUSTINE, ISLE BREVELLE. St. Augustine & St. Anne’s Lenten Mission will be on Friday,
April 1 and Saturday, April 2 at St. Augustine Catholic Church, 2262 HWY 484, Natchez, LA. The mission begins
with Mass at 6:00 pm on Friday and Saturday at the 5:00 pm Mass. Father Rothell Price, J.C.L., V.G., Diocese
of Shreveport is the guest speaker. The theme for the mission is “Reconcilation and Renewal for the Easter Joy”.
APRIL 3-5 LENTEN MISSION, HESSMER St. Martin of Tours Church in Hessmer will host a Lenten Mission
from Sunday, April 3 through Tuesday, April 5 at 6 p.m. Fr. Scott Chemino, V.G., and pastor of St. Francis de
Sales in Echo, will be the presenter.
APRIL 12-14 LENTEN MISSION, FIFTH WARD. Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Fifth Ward will host a Lenten
Mission from Tuesday, April 12 through Thursday, April 14 at 6 p.m. Fr. Chad Partain, chancellor and pastor of
St. Paul Church in Mansura will be the presenter. Everyone is invited to attend.

committ to going every Sunday
during Lent. If you attend Mass
every Sunday, consider going
daily. If your church offers it, go
first thing in the morning before
you start your day.

•

Go to Confession – the
sacrament of Confession gives
us so much grace to help avoid

Give up something that
you really spend a lot of time
doing -- watching television,
playing video games, facebook,
computer, bringing work home,
unnecessary activities that take
you away from home, -- and
replace that time with quality time
with your kids or your spouse.
Choosing what works best
for you depends on where you are
in your prayer life. Just do it.

Former Planned Parenthood director
From PP to pro-life, Abby Johnson becomes Catholic, speaks against abortion
By Valerie Schmalz
Catholic News Service
SAN FRANCISCO (CNS) -A woman who walked away from
her job as a Planned Parenthood
clinic director after helping with
an ultrasound-guided abortion is
preparing to enter the Catholic
Church.
Abby Johnson, 30, who has
been speaking at pro-life events
around the country, will become a
Catholic, along with her husband,
Doug, in her native Texas within
the next few months. The couple
has a 4-year-old daughter.
“When we went to the
Catholic Church for the first time,
we knew that was where we were
supposed to be and we have been
there ever since,” said Johnson,
who said she particularly loves the
church’s reverence for Mary as
the mother of God. “The more we
started learning about the beliefs
of the church and the Eucharist
and everything, it seemed like
this was what had been missing
our whole lives.”
After eight years as a
Planned Parenthood volunteer
and employee, Johnson walked
away from her job as director of
a Planned Parenthood clinic in
Bryan/College Station, Texas,
Oct. 6, 2009, during a prayer vigil
by 40 Days for Life.
Johnson, who had one
abortion at age 20 and another at
23, first began working as a clinic
escort while a student at Texas
A&M University. Assisting with
an ultrasound during an abortion
in 2009 turned her into a pro-life

advocate.
She describes the experience
in her book “Unplanned: The
Dramatic True Story of the
Planned Parenthood Leader Who
Crossed the Life Line to Fight for
Women in Crisis,” written with
Cindy Lambert (Ignatius Press).
In the book’s first chapter,
Johnson describes holding the
ultrasound probe on the woman’s
abdomen and watching the screen

as the abortion doctor worked and
the mother cried. The fetus was
at 13 weeks’ gestation based on
the abortion doctor’s estimate,
Johnson wrote.
“At first, the baby didn’t seem
aware of the cannula,” she writes.
“It gently probed the baby’s
side, and for a quick second I
felt relief. Of course, I thought.
The fetus doesn’t feel pain. I had
reassured countless women of this

as I’d been taught by Planned
Parenthood. The fetal tissue feels
nothing as it is removed. Get
a grip, Abby. This is a simple,
quick medical procedure. My
head was working hard to control
my responses, but I couldn’t
shake an inner disquiet that was
quickly mounting to horror as I
watched the screen.
“The next movement was the
sudden jerk of a tiny foot as the
baby started kicking, as if it were
trying to move away from the
probing invader,” she continues.
“As the cannula pressed its side,
the baby began struggling to turn
and twist away. It seemed clear to
me that it could feel the cannula,
and it did not like what it was
feeling. And then the doctor’s
voice broke through, startling me.
‘”Beam me up, Scotty,’ he
said lightheartedly to the nurse.
“He was telling her to turn on
the suction -- in an abortion the
suction isn’t turned on until the
doctor feels he has the cannula
in exactly the right place. I had a
sudden urge to yell, ‘Stop.’”
(According to a description
by Priests for Life, the cannula
is a hollow plastic tube that is
connected to a vacuum-type
pump by a flexible hose. The
doctor runs the tip of the cannula
along the surface of the uterus
causing the baby to be dislodged
and sucked into the tube -- either
whole or in pieces.)
Johnson watched the entire
abortion and went home, shaking
and in tears, to tell her husband
she had to find a new job. A few
days later, he walked out of the

clinic and joined people praying
outside the clinic. They were
members of the 40 Days for Life
group, which had held six prayer
vigils outside her clinic and
whose headquarters was just a
few doors away.
Johnson is in the process of
obtaining an annulment of the
marriage to the man who was her
husband at the time she had her
abortions, so that the Catholic
Church will officially recognize
her second marriage -- a process
called “convalidation’’ in church
law -- and she and husband Doug
can enter the church.
“We are ready to come into
the church as soon as we are
able,” Johnson told Catholic
San Francisco, the archdiocesan
newspaper.
Johnson
also
counsels
others who have left the abortion
industry, she said, and there are
more than most people would
think. She said rallies like the one
that drew an estimated 40,000
people to San Francisco for the
annual Walk for Life West Coast
Jan. 22 are an important witness.
“In California, one of the
most pro-choice and liberal states
in the country it is important to
show up en masse and tell the
leaders of the state and the leaders
of our nation how important the
sanctity of life is to us.,” she
said. “We do not have the luxury
anymore to stand around and say
I can’t tell someone what to do.
When it comes to taking the lives
of our children, we don’t want to
give our opinion? That doesn’t
make sense.”

Page 7

March 14, 2011
If PP wants to continue abortions,
do it without our tax dollars
By Benjamin Clapper
Louisiana Right to Life
In 2008, taxpayers handed
over $349.6 million to Planned
Parenthood, an organization that
performed 324,008 abortions that
same year.
And a few weeks ago, a
Rasmussen poll showed that 53
percent of our nation believes
abortion is morally wrong “most
of the time.”
Our government should not
continue to fund organizations
that perform abortion, regardless
of the funding’s intended purpose,
especially if the majority of our
nation sees abortion as morally
wrong.
The House of Representatives
defunded Planned Parenthood
based on this simple premise.
The Pence Amendment says that

if Planned Parenthood wants to
continue performing abortions, it
should not receive support from
our tax dollars.
This does not sound radical
to me. Quite simply, if Planned
Parenthood wants to continue
receiving federal funding to
provide for all services mentioned
in his letter, then the choice is very
clear: Stop performing abortions.
If Planned Parenthood is not
willing to do so, it becomes clear
that its main priority is abortion,
and that federal funding for its
other services is only a friendly
way to indirectly subsidize its
abortion priority.
We encourage the Senate to
adopt this amendment and assure
taxpayers that their money will
not subsidize any organization
that harms both women and
unborn babies through abortion.

KC PRO-LIFE BANNER. St. Martin Knights of Columbus Council 12103 in Lecompte placed a pro-life billboard on Highway 71/167 South between Alexandria and LSUA. Pictured with the sign are members that helped hang the billboard. Front
row: Kenneth Andries, Paul Dunstane, Brian Johnson, and Jamie Monroe. Back row: Jerry Herrin, Tim Hart, and Bobby Thiels

Planned Parenthood caught on video
Undercover video prompts Congress to defund Planned Parenthood
By Nancy Frazier O’Brien
Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON (CNS) -The recent undercover videos
showing a Planned Parenthood
worker advising clients how to
skirt age restrictions on abortion
and mandatory reporting laws
came as no surprise to Jennifer A.
Ruggiero, director of the Office
of Respect for Life in the Diocese
of Metuchen, N.J.
“We’ve made an ongoing
effort to raise awareness of some
of the myths about Planned
Parenthood,” Ruggiero told
Catholic News Service.
The video “sting” conducted
by the group Live Action at the
Planned Parenthood of Central
New Jersey clinic in Perth
Amboy showed the clinic’s office

manager -- who since been fired
-- talking to a young man and
woman posing as a pimp and an
underage sex worker. She urges
them not to reveal that the sex
worker is 14 because state law
would require clinic personnel to
report it as a case of statutory rape
and child abuse.
Other undercover videos
released by Live Action have
shown
Planned
Parenthood
personnel in 10 states offering
advice that would help hide the
sexual exploitation of minors or
sex trafficking of foreign-born
women.
Although Ruggiero said she
found it “very disturbing” that the
Planned Parenthood abuses were
taking place “in our backyard,”
she said it was “not surprising”
for an organization that has long

targeted minorities and young
women.
“It’s been a concern for
years” that abortion clinics “need
to be investigated and regulated,”
she said, adding that the new
revelations have “caught the
attention of legislators” in New
Jersey, making improvements in
abortion laws in the state more
likely.
Also in the works is a new
“statewide action plan” being
drawn up by pro-life directors in
dioceses throughout the state to
address abortion in a coordinated
way, Ruggiero said.
The undercover videos
also have prompted a move in
Congress to defund Planned
Parenthood.
“To say it is an outrage is
an understatement,” said Rep.

Mike Pence, R-Ind. “The time
has come to deny any and all
federal funding to Planned
Parenthood, the largest abortion
provider in America and also the
largest recipient of federal funds
under Title X,” the federal grant
program for family planning.
Pence’s Title X Abortion
Provider Prohibition Act, H.R.
217, would “prohibit family
planning grants from being
awarded to any entity that
performs abortions.” As of Feb.
7, it had 154 co-sponsors in the
House.
Abby Johnson, a former
Planned Parenthood director
in Texas who also appeared on
the webcast, said the types of
information given in the videos
were “a common occurrence,
unfortunately” at the clinic where

she had worked.
“Many women are subjected
to the cover-ups of Planned
Parenthood and the tweaking of
information,” she said. “They
will do anything, coerce anyone
into having an abortion. ... We’re
all good salespeople at Planned
Parenthood; that is our job.”
Johnson called Planned
Parenthood “a safe haven for
people who are trying to exploit
young girls.”
Stuart Schear, vice president
for communications at the
Planned Parenthood Federation
of America, said in a statement
that the organization’s “top
priority is the health and safety
of our patients and the health and
well-being of women and teens
across the country.”
“When Planned Parenthood
learns of an operation that exploits
young women, we vigilantly
work with law enforcement
authorities to uncover and stop
this abhorrent activity,” Schear
said.
Live Action describes itself
as a “youth-led movement” that
uses new media and investigative
journalism “to expose threats
against the vulnerable and
defenseless.”

Page 8

March 14, 2011

Number 3 in his class

Getting in shape pays off for
Father Ignatius in military
By Jeannie Petrus
CT Editor
When a 5’3” priest, who has
always dreamed of entering the
military but couldn’t because of
his height, sees an opportunity to
fulfill his dream, he takes advice
from his superior seriously:
“Get in shape before you go
to Basic Training.”
That’s the advice Bishop
(Colonel) Ronald Herzog gave
to Father Ignatius Ibe after giving him permission to enroll in
the U.S. Army Reserves chaplain
school back in August, 2010.
“That’s the best advice anyone could have given me at that
time,” said Father Ignatius, after completing three months of
Chaplain School Basic Training
in Fort Jackson, S.C.
Not only did he “get in shape
before he went,” Father Ibe got in
even better shape while he was

Chaplain Ignatius Ibe
there. His hard work earned him
the No. 3 position of his physical
training class as one of the “Best
Trained” of the 69 chaplains in
Basic Training.
So, what does it take to be
the third best physically trained in
your chaplain class?

HAVIG A LITTLE FUN. Father Ignatius Ibe, has some fun with other members
of his unit before a 10-mile run. After completing basic training in South
Carolina, Father Ibe leaves for a year of active duty in the U.S. Army Reserves.

The standard for push-ups is
doing 47 in two minutes. Father
Ibe can do 100 pushups in two
minutes. The standard for sit-ups
is 45 in 2 minutes; Father Ibe can
do 63; and the standard for running is 2 miles in 18:47, Father
Ibe can run 2 miles in 14:43.
“I believe that if you are going to do something, you do the
absolute best that you can,” he
said. “I set a goal for myself, and
I worked very hard to achieve that
goal.”
And, work hard, he did.
While the rest of the chaplains-in-training slept in their
beds until the 5 a.m. workoutbefore-breakfast, Father Ibe got
up an hour earlier and ran a few
miles to prepare for the training.
At night, when the final workout
was completed and the unit was
dismissed to their bunks, Father
Ibe continued his training for another hour.
During the day, the physical
training included several 2-mile
runs, agonizing sit-ups and pushups and climbing the 7-story Victory Tower over and over until it
was ‘done right’. He lost 11 lbs.
during the three-month training,
but re-sculpted his body into a
“mean, lean, fighting machine.”
Not bad for a man who was
told in high school that he was
“too short” to be in the military in
his homeland of Nigeria.
“Basic Training was extremely tough, but necessary,”
said Father Ibe. “Not only physically, but mentally. But I realized
that becoming physically strong,

MILITARY EXERCISES. Father Ignatius climbs the bottom ropes of the
Victory Tower, one of the military exercises required for basic training at Fort
Jackson, S. C.
helps you to become mentally
strong as well.”
In Chaplain School, Father
Ibe learned how to spiritually
counsel soldiers returning from
deployment about some of the
issues they may be dealing with
– doubt, rejection, relationship
problems, teenage pregnancy,
suicide, or the morality of war.
“The training I received
made me strong and prepared
me to face the many challenges
ahead,” he said. “ I look forward
to helping the soldiers in the spiritual journey of their deployment
so that they can return to normal
life as quickly as possible.”
The final step in Father Ibe’s

quest to be an Army Reserve
Chaplain, was to become a U.S.
citizen , which he achieved during his training in South Carolina.
“To serve in the U.S. Army,
you must be a U.S. citizen or
have your green card,” said Father Ibe. “I thank God Almighty
and Bishop Herzog for granting
me the opportunity to become a
U. S soldier and at the same time
a citizen of this great America; I
have taken the Citizenship Oath,
to defend this nation against all
her enemies within and outside
the coast of this great American
country, the oath of allegiance .”
See FATHER IBE, page 11

Natchitoches Parish
Businesses

Advertise in
The Church Today
Contact the Church Today
318-445-6424, ext. 264

$31 million St. Mary’s Academy in N.O. is complete
St. Mary’s, St. Augustine, Xavier Prep operated as one school after Katrina
By Christine Bordelon
Clarion Herald
The Sisters of the Holy
Family never wavered about
returning to New Orleans after
Hurricane Katrina destroyed
St. Mary’s Academy in August
2005. They knew their tradition
of education in New Orleans,
founded in 1867, had to stay alive.
Five years later, the Sisters
of the Holy Family’s tradition of
education in New Orleans once
again found new life with the
completion of a new $31 million
St. Mary’s Academy.
Students and alumnae from
not only St. Mary’s Academy, but
from St. Augustine and Xavier
Prep gathered at the new school
on Feb. 16 to move books into the
newly built school.
The three schools united as
“The MAX” school (an acronym
for St. Mary’s, St. Augustine and
Xavier Prep) on Xavier Prep’s
campus in January 2006 because,
of the three historically black
campuses, Xavier Prep didn’t
flood.
“We came today because we
were together at the MAX, and we
wanted to help our sisters as they
enjoy their success of moving
into a new building,” Xavier Prep
senior Lindsey Boutee said.
“It’s our sister school, so
we stick together and help each
other,” St. Augustine senior
Byron Goins said.
Sister Jennie Jones, principal
of St. Mary’s, praised the
collaborative efforts of five years
ago.

THE NEW ST. MARY’S ACADEMY IS COMPLETE! Xavier Prep students in New Orleans break out in jubilation
Feb. 16 in a show of support for their sister school St. Mary’s Academy, which officially moved into its new $31 million
campus on Feb. 21. Students from three schools operated for one year after Katrina as “The MAX” -- an acronym for
St. Mary’s, St. Augustine and Xavier Prep. (Photo by Frank Methe, Clarion-Herald)

“They were all displaced and
had no school to go to, and we all
came together as the MAX,” she
said. “The last clas of the MAX -they were in seventh grade when
Katrina hit -- is graduating this
year, ad we are coming together to
celebrate them, for without them,
we might not be here today.”
Sister Gloria Lewis, SSF,
now living in Alexandria, was
a former Spanish teacher at St.
Mary’s. She was one of almost

Technology
reigns
throughout the new 100,000sq. foot campus. State-of-theart-technology
includes
HP
Touch-Smart computers in all
31 classrooms, a customized
library honoring Sisters of the
Holy Family founder Venerable
Henriette Delille, top-of-theline science and language labs, a
Cyber Cafe, a chorus room with
professional recording equipment,
band room with sound-proof
practice rooms and piano lab, art
room with a kiln and screening
printing, a mental health and
academic counseling center,
theater arts room and gymnasium
with a weight room, automated
bleachers and scoreboard with
playback features.
“Everything is state of the
art,” said Sister Jennie
The Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA)
provided the majority of funding
for the project.

40 Sisters of the Holy Family
who were forced to relocate
after Katrina in search of other
teaching jobs.
“I have not seen the new
school yet, but I can’t wait to see
it,” she said. “ I am so proud of
the work of all the Sisters who
worked so hard to rebuild this
school and to all of the students
and alumnae who supported
this project. We have been truly
blessed.”

FILLING THE NEW LIBRARY WITH BOOKS. Students from St. Mary’s
Academy, Xavier Prep and St. Augustine carry books to the new St. Mary’s
library. (Photo by Frank Methe, Clarion Herald)

Drafting and Design

Architectural, Civil, Mechanical,
3-D design and rendering

318.542.8539

www.cenlacadtech.com

Page 10

March 14, 2011

Breaking free from the clutches of pornography
by Jim Seghers
Author & Apologetics
Addiction to pornography is
a very serious problem that traps
many boys and men and some
women in its deadly clutches. The
following steps can help break
this addiction:
Get Rid of All Pornography
Destroy everything connected with pornography. Until this
commitment is made, the situation is hopeless. Put filters on
your computer or get the computer out of your home if it continues to be a source of temptation.
Don’t play around with this stuff.
It’s deadly.
It Begins & Ends with Grace
Those trapped in pornography feel they are helpless to break
away from this addiction. They
are right! Jesus instructed us:
“Apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). However, what is
impossible to you is easy for God.
Rely on his help. That’s why St.
Paul could declare, “I can do all
things in him who strengthens
me” (Phil 4:13). That requires becoming a man of prayer. Make it a
scheduled part of your day. Using
the Sacrament of Reconciliation
is a must. It produces miracles.
Reorientate Understanding of Sex
Growing up is always a challenging task especially when one

PORNOGRAPHY STATISTICS
SEX:
the No. 1 search topic on the Internet
4.2 million:
the number of pornographic web sites
Boys ages 12-17:
the largest consumers of online pornography
90% of teens:
who view pornography, view while doing homework
Statistics based on a 2007 Internet pornography study.

has embraced an adolescent understanding of human sexuality. I
highly recommend that you read
the Good News About Sex & Marriage by Christopher West. Written from a Catholic perspective,
its biblical basis will also appeal
to Protestants and Catholics.
Get Help
Find a priest, pastor, spiritual director or Christian counselor who will support and guide
you through this difficult period.
Avoid anyone who takes the attitude that pornography is no big
deal.
Control Beginnings
Temptations are easy to combat at the beginning. However,
once the imagination becomes

fully engaged it is very difficult to
combat. King David’s fall (2 Sam
22:1-26) began with a glance. The
glance led to a stare. The stare led
to lust. The lust led to a summons.
The summons led to adultery.
The adultery led to murder. Had
he stopped at the glance adultery
and murder would never have occurred. In regard to these temptations he who runs away will live
to fight another day.
Don’t Give Up
Falls
are
discouraging.
Therefore you will be tempted
to give up. Resist that tendency
with all your might. Falls should
remind you of your helplessness
and motivate you to rely on God
and not on yourself. If you persist, a time will come when the

addiction will be out of your life
forever.
Get Your Wife to Help
If she doesn’t already know,
confess your addiction and ask
for her help. Admitting the addiction will release some of its hold
on you. Begin to pray together as
a couple. Ask her to pray for you
during the day. If you are single
ask your parents to pray for you.
You needn’t go into specifics. Ask
them to pray for a special intention; for example, you want to
commit your life to Christ.
Read Sacred Scripture
Began a daily meditative
reading of Sacred Scripture. I par-

ticularly recommend the Gospels
with an emphasis on the Passion
accounts. The more you reflect
on the Passion the more you will
understand the horror of sin, and
the more determined you will become to avoid it.
Find Healthy Interests
Exercise is a good starting
point. Even walking on a daily
basis can be a great help. If T.V. is
a problem get rid of the cable or
satellite hook-up, or eliminate it
all together. Develop friendships
with men and women you will
motivate you by the example of
their lives to live a faithful Christian life. Source: http://www.totustuus.com/pornbf.htm

Consequences of Pornography
seminar to be presented April 8
A seminar titled, Unveiling the Social Consequences of
Pornography: From Exile to Freedom, will be held Friday, April 8 from 9
a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Petroleum Club of Lafayette.
The one-day event is for leaders, clergy and laymen who wish
to learn about the consequences that pornography has on society,
relationships, marriage, family and children. Learn how we can have a
positive impact helping others, especially our young, to steer clear of the
hidden dangers of pornography and its addictive forces. Registration is
$25 and includes lunch.
For more information, contact the Office of Religious Formation
and Training, at 318-445-6424, ext. 257.

Page 11

March 14, 2011

SECRETARY APPECIATION DINNER. Father Edwin Rodriguez hosted his Sixth Annual Secretary Appreciation
Supper at St. Alphonsus Church in Hessmer on Feb. 28. Every year, just before Lent begins, Father Edwin invites all
of the secretaries of the Avoyelles Deanery and their spouses to dinner to show his appreciation for their hard work
done throughout the year. This year, 10 secretaries attended.

Father Ignatius
From page 7
Father Ibe is the pastor of
Holy Ghost Church / St. Richards’ Chapel in Marksville/Hickory Hill. Fr. Ignatius promised
to continue his early morning
runs and exercise regime to stay
in shape as he prepares to leave
for mobilization in Kentucky for
365 days. He hopes to join the
active reserves in the near future
and continue to serve the men and
women in uniform and their fami-

lies as their chaplain.
“I’m ready to begin this new
adventure, as long as God gives
me the strength to do it,” he said.
“I would like to thank Bishop Herzog and all of my fellow
priests that I work with, especially Father Rusty Rabalais (St.
Joseph Catholic Church, Marksville) who has always been available to help me at Mass when I
leave for drill in Baton Rouge.
“I would also like to thank my
twin brother Father Bartholomew

NUGENT
PHOTOGRAPHY

Wedding
School Photos
All occasions

Anniversary
Landscapes
Insurance claim photos
General Photography

Ibe (Church of Little Flower, Evergreen) who has always been in
prayer while I was in training; my
religious order (Sons Of Mary,
Mother of Mercy), my superior
general Very Rev. Dr. George
Okorie, who granted me permission; and all of my other religious
members in the U.S.
“Finally, I want to thank the
members of my parish (Holy
Ghost Church / St. Richards’
Chapel, Hickory Hill) for all of
their encouragement, support
and prayers; may God bless you
abundantly. I am going to miss
you all, but be rest assured of my
prayers. The Lord is good all the
time and all the time, the Lord is
good.”

SECRETARY OF THE YEAR. Mrs. Nora Bordelon, secretary at St. Joseph’s
Church in Marksville, was selected as Secretary of the Year in Avoyelles
during Father Edwin Rodriguez’s annual secretary appeciation dinner. This
was the first time that the honor was given and she received a gift.

Packages to fit all budgets. Will accommodate indoor and
outdoor locations. Call for an appointment at 888-231-1544
or locally at 318-201-4251.
Wedding planner services available.

318-445-6424
ext. 264

Page 12

PRAYER GARDEN. A person cannot help but feel inspired to pray or meditate
when visiting the Prayer Garden located at the top of the hill behind Holy
Rosary Chapel in Emmanuel. An Easter Sunrise Mass is scheduled to be
celebrated here, weather permitting.

(above) PRAYER GARDEN PLAQUE. Father John Cunningham, (retired)
and Cliff Delrie, a resident of Emmanuel, stand next to the Prayer Garden
plaque that marks the origins of the garden. Members of Holy Rosary Chapel,
like Delrie, who constructed the plaque, all worked together to build the Prayer
Garden that was completed in 1987 when Father Cunningham was pastor.
(below) STATIONS OF THE CROSS. Large 12-ft crosses line the road that
leads to the Prayer Garden, located at the top of the hill behind Holy Rosary
Chapel in Emmanuel. During Lent parishioners gather at the crosses each
Friday at 5:30 p.m. to pray the Stations of the Cross.
(bottom right) PERFECT VIEW. Father Cunningham and Cliff Delrie look out
over the valley that is behind the Prayer Garden altar. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;higherâ&#x20AC;? altitude
makes you feel as though you could not possibly be in Louisiana.

March 14, 2011

Page 13

March 14, 2011

Holy Rosary Chapel, Emmanuel, La.

Prayer Garden offers prayerful environment
By Jeannie Petrus
CT Editor
Pine trees sway in the
gentle breeze producing a soft,
continuous, whispering sound.
No one is around for miles
except for you and a 40-ft crucifix
pressed against the blue sky.
You can’t help but feel
inspired to pray and be close to
God.
It is the Holy Rosary Chapel’s
Prayer Garden, located on the top
of a hill overlooking distant acres
of pastures in Emmanuel, La.
Holy Rosary Chapel is a
mission of St. John the Baptist
Church in Cloutierville. It was
established by Bishop Charles P.
Greco when he acquired several
army barracks during the 50s and
turned them into mission chapels
around the diocese.
Most of the families in the
small community of Emmanuel
are Catholic and have been settled
there since the mid 1800s.
So it was not a surprise when
the community pulled together
in 1985 to turn the peaceful
hillside behind the chapel into an
inspirational prayer garden.
“When I was assigned as
pastor of St. John the Baptist
Church in Cloutierville in 1985,
the people in the Emmanuel
community asked me about
making some sort of prayer
garden,” said Father John
Cunningham. “It is a beautiful

GOD IS WITH US reads the sign to the entrance of the Prayer Garden located at the top of the hill behind Holy Rosary
Chapel in Emmanuel. The Prayer Garden was completed in 1987 when Fr. John Cunningham was pastor.
place up there and we all thought
it was the perfect spot for a place
of prayer.”
Permission was granted to
cut some of the tall pine trees
growing down the side of the hill,
so that an unobstructed view of
the valley below could be seen.
Most of the donations of
concrete outdoor furnishings
were done by the Kerry family
members (Zane, Judy, and
Norma) in memory of their
parents, Pleas and Lizzie Kerry.

But
other
parishioners
donated items as well. Delrie built
the water fountain and concrete
stand for the marble dedication
plaque. Harold Romero (husband
of one of the Kerry daughters)
poured the slabs to support the
concrete tables and benches.
Other parishioners filled 35 large
oil buckets with concrete to form
concrete footstools perfect for
outdoor seating.
The garden was completed
and dedicated in 1987 and soon

after, the first outdoor Easter
sunrise service was held.
“It was beautiful,” said Father
Cunningham. “There must have
been at least 100 people out here
who brought their lawn chairs
and waited in the dark of the early
morning for the sun to come up.
“We prayed the rosary while
we waited for the sun to come up.
In between the decades someone
would ask, ‘Is the sun up yet,
Father? Can we start Mass?
“I kept saying, ‘Not yet. Let’s

be patient.’ “
When the sun finally started
to come up, Father Cunningham
began the Mass. But the real
highlight of the Mass was during
the consecration.
“As I raised the host during
the consecration, the full sun
popped out over the horizon
and the rays of the sun beamed
through the elevated host! It
could not have been more perfect!
“I kept the host elevated
for the longest time (it seemed)
because it was so beautful and
everyone was in just awe,” he
said.
Shortly after the prayer
garden was dedicated, fourteen
white crosses were added
alongside the road going up the
hill to the garden to create an
outdoor stations of the cross.
“Every Friday at 5:30
p.m. during Lent, a group of
parishioners uusallly meet at the
crosses for Stations of the Cross,”
said Delrie.
Every year about this time
(Lent and Easter) parishioners
hope to have another Easter
sunrise service like the one in the
late 1980s.
“It all depends on the
weather,” said Delrie. “We’ve
had several services since we
built the garden, but sometimes
we’ve had to cancel at the last
minute because of the weather.
“Last year, Father Kenneth
Obiewe (pastor of St. John the
Baptist in Cloutierville) was
prepared to have a Mass out here
on Easter Sunday, but we had to
cancel at the last minute because
it was just to cold and wet.”
This year, Father Kenneth
said he plans, once again, to
celebrate an Easter Sunrise Mass,
if weather permits,
* * *

Holy Rosary Chapel
Emmanuel, La
A mission of St. John the Baptist
Church in Cloutierville

To find out the latest on
whether or not there will be an
Easter Sunrise Mass at Holy
Rosary Chapel, go to www.
diocesealex.org, where the most
up-to-date information will be
available.

WORLD MARRIAGE DAY. Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Vidalia celebrated World Marriage Day with a Mass on
Feb. 13. Pictured above are some of the married couples who participated.

WORLD MARRIAGE DAY AT ST. RITA CHURCH. St. Rita Church celebrated wedding anniversaries on Feb. 13 (World Marriage Day) at the 9:30 a.m.
Mass. Couples who were honored are Gerald and Mary Robichaux, 60 years;
Fr. Craig Scott, pastor of St. Rita; Victor and Margaret Tolito, 60 years; and
John and Beverly Wilmore, 50 years. Each couple was honored with a Papal
Blessing from Pope Benedict. Not pictured are Jacques and Brenda Tauzin,
40 years; and James and Phyllis St. Romain, 50 years.

Marriage-related Workshops
One-night seminar on marriage prep to be held April 5 and 6 in two locations
Evening workshop for those
teaching Marriage Prep
Man and Woman: in the Plan
of God, a one-night session meant
to help us better understand God’s
plan for Christ-centered marriage,
will be presented by Christian and
Christina Mert April 4 and 5 in
Natchitoches and in Alexandria.
Join us on Monday, April
4 at 6 p.m. at St. Rita’s Holy
Family Center in Alexandria or
on Tuesday, April 5 at 6 p.m. at
the KC Hall next to St. Mary’s
School in Natchitoches.
The event is free and open to
the public, but may be particularly
helpful to parish DREs, catechists,
couples mentoring the engaged
in preparation for marriage, or

for those seeking to boost their
appreciation of the Theology of
the Body.
The Merts have been married
for 33 years and have been in
full-time marriage preparation
ministry for more than a decade.
Topics to be discussed include:
• our dignity as God’s beloved
creatures
• the vocation of humanity as a
whole
• specific vocations of man and
woman
• and how to function better
together.
Christian and Christine will also
discuss Paul’s message to Man
and Woman in Ephesiosn 5, and
what it means for us today.
The event is hosted by the

Diocese of Alexandria Office
of Adult Faith Formation and
St. Rita’s Parish Young Adult
Ministry. Child care will be
available at St. Rita.
For more information, call
318-445-7141 or 318-352-2615.

One-day Marriage Workshop
Lafayette
The Diocese of Lafayette
will host a marriage workshop
on Saturday March 26 from 8:30
a.m. - 4:45 p.m. at Holy Cross
Catholic Church (415 Robley
Drive Lafayette, LA).
The presenter will be
Daniel J. Jurek, M.Min., M.A.,
a Licensed Marriage and Family
Therapist, Licensed Professional

Counselor. Titled, The Lord of
Our Rings, the one-day workshop
is based on the rich deposit of
Catholic faith and draws from
experts in the field of marriage
and relationship building.
Whether your marriage needs
hope for the future, practical skills
for daily living, or simply a time
of refreshment, this series will
help you learn how to build an
even more satisfying relationship
with your spouse.
Registration is $150 before
March 14 or $175 after March
14. (Less than the cost of one
marriage therapy session.)
For more information, call
the Pax Renewal Center at 337993-1960.

Beginning Experience
Maryhill
Register now for Beginning
Experience, a weekend of new
beginning for divorced, widowed,
or separated people. It will be held
March 25-27 at Maryhill Renewal
Center.
The program helps grieving
single-again persons emerge from
the darkness of grief into the light
of a new beginning, and move
into the future with renewed hope.
The cost is $185 and includes two
nights’ lodging and meals.
To register or for more
information, call Anna at (318)
448-1990 or (318) 452-2678 or
Rose at (504) 920-0770.

Page 16

March 14, 2011

Menard Theatre Arts to present the
Wizard of Oz, March 31-April 2
A girl. A twister. A pair of
ruby slippers.
With a click of your heels
and a sprinkle of theatre magic,
be prepared to journey into the
enchanted Land of Oz March
31-April 2, when Holy Savior
Menard Theatre Arts will present,
The Wizard of Oz.
Directed by Cherise Rino,
the iconic MGM musical will be
performed at the Coughlin Saunders Performing Arts Center in
Alexandria at 7:00 every night
March 31-April 2 and a special 2
pm matinee on Saturday, April 2.
With a talented cast, elabo-

rate sets and plenty of special
effects, audiences can expect
to be swept away. The biggest
thrill of attending is seeing the
movie so affectionately brought
to stage life, scene by scene.
Don’t miss the students perform such classic musical moments as “Ding Dong the Witch
is Dead,” “Follow the Yellow Brick Road,” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.
The cast and crew includes
more than 40 students. Leading
roles include Andrea Juneau as
Dorothy Gale of Kansas; Grant
Alexander as the Scarecrow; Dea-

MARDI GRAS IN MOREAUVILLE. Sacred Heart School held its annual Mardi
Gras Parade on March 4. Students made box floats. Both sections of PRE-K,
Kindergarten and the 8th Grade threw beads to the student body. Everyone
enjoyed the festivities.

son Wagner as the Tin Man; Jacob
Jude Rino as the Cowardly Lion;
Jennifer St. John as the Wicked
Witch of the West; Kaitlyn Wright
as Glinda the Good Witch; Beniloyd Murdock as the Wizard;
Celicia Ducote as Aunt Em; and
Jacob Horn as Uncle Henry.
Tickets are $10 and can be prepurchased at the following locations; the main office of Holy Savior Menard High School, Kirby’s
Pharmacy, First Federal Bank
Locations, All About Parties,
Mary’s Heart Catholic Church.
For more information, call
445-8233 between 8a.m. - 3 p.m.

MENARD TO PRESENT THE WIZARD OF OZ. Menard Theatre Arts
will present the Wizard of Oz March 31-April 2 at the Coughlin Saunders
Performing Arts Center in Alexandra at 7:00 each night and a special 2 p.m.
matinee on April 2. Tickets are $10 for general admission.

ST. MARY’S HOSTS ‘PROM’ FOR
NATCHITOCHES ASSOCIATION
OF RETARDED CITIZENS. Saint
Mary’s School hosted a prom for
the clients of the Natchitoches
Association of Retarded Citizens on
Friday, Feb. 18.

St. Mary students pitch in to host prom for special guests
St. Mary’s School hosted
a prom for the clients of the
Natchitoches Association of
Retarded Citizens Feb. 18 in the
school gym.
The elementary students
supplied refreshments for the
evening and the middle school
students supplied and decorated
the gym including creating the
Mardi Gras themed picture
backdrop.
The
Art
Club
made
boutonnieres and corsages with
the help of Mrs. Cindy Gallien

at Mary Lou’s Flower Shop. The
high school students greeted and
danced the night away with the
wonderful guests.
The students would like to
thank Justin Metoyer for burning
the music that was played and
Mr. Ben Stanfield for being a
great DJ throughout the evening.
Everyone had a blast.

Guest Artists at Gallery

St. Mary’s School student
artists are the honored Guest Artists for February at the Natchi-

Position Available:
Assistant Development Director
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Alexandria is currently
seeking applications for an Assistant Development Director to
work with church parishes and schools.
Experience: Must be proficient in technology, have
the ability to communicate effectively, both verbally
and in writing, and a strong development/fundraising
background. Two years of nonprofit development
experience desired, preferably in church or social service
environment and knowledge of church organization and
procedures. Practicing Catholic strongly preferred.
Education: BS or BA in Communications, Marketing, or
Public Relations or equivalent combination of education
and experience.
Send resume, cover letter, references and salary requirements
to: info@diocesealex.org or to: Diocese of Alexandria,
ATTN: Assistant Development Director, P.O. Box 7417,
Alexandria, LA 71306-0417.

Diocese of Alexandria

toches Art Gallery.
A reception was held Feb.
18 to recognize and encourage
the young artists in their fine arts
pursuits.
Nine times during the year,
non-member artists are offered
a one time opportunity to exhibit works in the Natchitoches
Art Gallery without membership
commitments. Non members are
also afforded the opportunity to
show in the Natchitoches Art
Gallery every year during the annual juried competition.
Guest artists are selected in
various manners including nomination by members and directly
petitioning for a spot. The students of St. Mary’s school were
offered a special invitation by

the Board of Directors. Several
students answered the call with
a representation of work in oil
pastels, mixed media on scratchboard, pencil, and ceramics.
Students who participated
were Ryan Metoyer, Anne Evans, Brooklyn Sanders, Elizabeth
Horton, Clayton Thomas, Hannah
Ward, Caitlin Ingram, and Mrs.
Sheila Ohnoutka, Tyler Neely and
Catherine Burke.
The works were on display at
the Natchitoches Art Gallery during the month of February.

Mathematics Classic

St. Mary’s High School
competed in Northwestern State
University’s 8th Annual Demon
Mathematics Classic for out-

Position Available

Principal

St. Mary’s Assumption Catholic School, Cottonport, LA
2011-2012 school year

An individual seeking the position of Principal must be a
practicing Catholic with a strong commitment to Catholic education.
In addition, he/she should possess the following:

• Commitment to nurturing the Catholic identity of the school
• Master’s degree, preferably with emphasis in Administration/supervision
• Minimum of 3 years of teaching or school administrative experience
• Leadership ability in past/present educational assignments
The salary for this position will be based on qualifications and experience.
Application packets can be picked up in the school office
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Completed application packets should be returned to the school office
in an envelope marked “Principal Search.”

Deadline for submitting applications is Monday, April 11, 2011.
For additional information contact the school at 318-876-3651.

standing high school math students Feb. 19.
The competition hosts top
students from the central Louisiana area and students compete in
two areas: the Challenge Exam
- a rigorous test covering topics
from Pre-Calculus to Geometry.
The second part of the competition is a team competition
modeled after quiz bowl. Students compete in four quarters in
a game. The first quarter consists
of quick recall questions. The
second is a lightning round of
ten questions for each team to
be ansered in 60 seconds. The
third is a two-minute worksheet
round. And, the fourth is a quick
recall with bonus questions
round. All questions are math related and the competition is fast
paced and fierce.
Both St. Mary’s teams made
it to the semi-final round after
pool play. The team of Clayton
Thomas, Caitlin Ingram, Hannah
Ward, and Joshua Wheat placed
second in the overall competition, losing to Alexandria Senior
High in the finals.
The team of Daniel James,
Elizabeth Horton, Laura Evans,
and Zach Remedies finished
fourth after some great wins
throughout the day.
Daniel James and Caitlin
Ingram were named as team AllStars by the NSU faculty. Roxy
competed as an individual.

God grades on the cross,
not the curve.

Page 18

March 14, 2011

Parents push N. O. Catholic school
to resume paddling policy
By Peter Finney Jr.
Catholic News Service
NEW ORLEANS (CNS) -For the past 60 years, teachers and
administrators at St. Augustine
High School in New Orleans have
wielded an 18-inch-long wooden
paddle -- euphemistically called
“the board of education” -- to
administer corporal punishment
to students for tardiness, sloppy
uniform dress or other minor
rules infractions.
When Archbishop Gregory
M. Aymond and Josephite Father
Edward Chiffriller, his order’s
superior general and head of the
school’s board of trustees, ordered
the practice stopped following an
intensive review process, their
decision was met with outspoken
opposition from parents, alumni,
students, the school’s board of
directors, and both current and
former administrators.
That disagreement played out
during a three-hour, 50-minute
“disciplinary town-hall meeting”
Feb. 24 at the St. Augustine gym.
About 600 people attended.
As Archbishop Aymond
and members of the Josephites’
board of trustees sat at a table and
listened, speaker after speaker
-- including Josephite Father
John Raphael, St. Augustine’s
president
-passionately
explained why they supported

Marian Lenten
Pilgrimage
March 21-23
Make a Marian Lenten Pilgrimage to EWTN and Caritas,
Ala. March 21-23 with Fr. Anthony Catella and other priests for
EWTN “live” Mass and program.
Be present at Caritas while Marija
Lunetti of Medjugorje will be visiting and the Queen of Peace appears to her.
Trip will include daily Mass,
spiritual enrichment, Rosary,
songs and more. Bus reservation
is $135 with room; (some free
meals).
Call Kathie at 640-4570 or Patsy at 640-0065 for itinerary and
room reservations before March
5, 2011.

the use of corporal punishment
and asked that the moratorium be
lifted.
St. Augustine is the only
Catholic school in the United
States to have permitted corporal
punishment as recently as 2010.
Father
Raphael
shared
historical references to the
school’s founding principal,
Josephite
Father
Matthew
O’Rourke,
who
instituted
paddling in 1951 as a deterrent
to unacceptable behavior. He
even introduced his parents, who
were sitting in the audience, and
praised them for spanking him as
a child as a way of instruction.
Father Raphael made a point
of telling the crowd that Father
Chiffriller, his religious superior,
had given a speech at the 50th
anniversary of the school in 2001
on the historic value of the paddle
as a deterrent.
When it was his turn to
speak, Father Chiffriller said, “In
light of the archbishop’s concern
and the Josephites’ own internal
concerns, the board of trustees
reviewed the practice of corporal
punishment and determined
that its continued use is simply
inconsistent with our Catholic
ideals, ethics and principles.”
Of the more than two dozen
alumni, parents and students who
spoke, none expressed opposition
to the paddling policy.

While calling the issue
“complicated,”
Archbishop
Aymond did not retreat from
what he called “a fundamental
disagreement.”
The archbishop said parents
have the authority to use corporal
punishment in their homes to
discipline their children, but he
reiterated he could not “possibly
condone corporal punishment,
especially in a Catholic school.”
“I believe in my conscience
that this is not in line with the
values of Jesus,” he said, adding
that was why the Archdiocese of
New Orleans has for decades not
permitted corporal punishment in
its schools.
Archbishop Aymond said
numerous studies have indicated
corporal
punishment
can
cause physical, emotional and
psychological damage, including
loss of self-esteem and increased
hostility toward authority, and
that “violence -- hitting another
person -- fosters violence.”
“Nothing was resolved (at the
meeting),” he said. “Whenever
there is a split in the family, we
need to pray, we need to dialogue
and we need to ask, ‘What
does God want out of this?’ I
certainly will be meeting with the
Josephites as well as the board of
directors to see how we can come
to a better understanding and
resolution of the issues.”

Father Keith Ishmael
The night is filled with music, prayer, evangelism, and
catechesis. It is designed to bring high school students,
young adults, and adults closer to Christ and His Church.
For more information, contact
Luc Noel at 1-866-447-7088, extension 221,
or e-mail at lnoel@diocesealex.org

Page 19

March 14, 2011

Youths participate in Food Fast program for Lent
By Emily Lahr
Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON (CNS) -Two Pennsylvania girls took a
day off of work to take part in an
annual Food Fast that has become
a Lenten tradition for many
Catholic parishes.
“It has impacted them in
a way that they keep coming
back,” said Cathy Savilla, youth
minister for three parishes in
West Virginia.
Food Fast is a 24-hour
hunger awareness retreat for
Catholic youths, focusing on
global poverty and hunger.
The program, which has been
active since 1999, runs under
the direction of program officer
Jennifer Swope of Catholic Relief
Services in Baltimore, the U.S.
bishops’ international relief and
development agency.
Food Fast offers a journey of
solidarity with people overseas as
a way of living out the Catholic
faith.
Grounded in Catholic social
teaching, Food Fast teaches
youths about issues faced by
their peers in the developing
world; encourages youths to
take action on behalf of the poor
and hungry; and invites youths
to share their perspectives and
knowledge about the world with
their community to create lasting
change in the world.
The overall theme of the
program is hunger awareness,
but CRS picks a subtheme from
school year to school year. The
2010-11 subtheme focuses on
how climate change affects the
hungry people of the world and
how God cares for his creation.
“There is always something
locally that you can relate to
the global theme,” said Savilla,
who had collaborated with
neighboring churches to put on a
120-participant youth retreat.

YOUTHS PARTICIPATE IN FOOD FAST PROGRAM IN SAN FRANCISCO. Youths participate in their first annual
Food Fast in the Archdiocese of San Francisco last year. The fast is Catholic Relief Services’ 24-hour poverty and
hunger awareness program aimed specifically at teens. (CNS photo/courtesy of CRS)

Swope said the 201112 subtheme is still a work in
progress, but it will initially be
centered on caring for the poor
and how one’s choices affect
others’ access to food.
The Food Fast program offers
a curriculum for the parishes

that
participate,
providing
icebreakers, prayers, discussion
topics and fliers.
Swope said Food Fast
is often used during Lent,
especially during Holy Week,
but the resources are available
throughout the year.

Abbey Youth Festival - March 26
Registration continues for the Abbey Youth Festival to be held March
26 in St. Benedict, La. Festival speakers include Matt Maher, Paul
George, Judy McDonald, Archbishop Gregory Aymond, and the monks
and seminarians of St. Joseph Abbey+Seminary College.
The Abbey Youth Festival is an apostolic service of St. Joseph Abbey and Seminary College, designed to provide young people with an
opportunity to experience a day of prayer and faith formation with an
exposure to the Benedictine tradition. Its focus is evangelization and
vocational discernment by means of Liturgy, prayer, worship, music
and education appropriate for Catholic young people.
For more information, go to www.abbeyyouthfest.com

“We provide everything,”
said Swope, but the youth
ministers use their creativity and
“they make it their own.”
Natalie Lies, a youth minister
at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in
Fargo, N.D., was planning her
fourth Food Fast event this Lent,
using both the curriculum offered
by CRS and her own ideas. For
the first time, her parish will invite
Catholic parishes from around the
diocese to take part in the event.
“It plays in the theme of
Lent of prayer, fasting and
almsgiving,” said Lies, who
has been serving the parish for
five years, ministering to 20-30
youths.
Lies said they start their Food
Fast on a Friday evening with
the living Stations of the Cross,
a Lenten Catholic tradition that
remembers the way of Christ’s
death, and run through Saturday
evening.
Last year, youths listened

to
testimonies
given
by
missionaries, volunteered with
homeless organizations, and
spent reflective time in prayer
during the fast.
“You don’t eat any solid
foods,” said Lies, who hopes the
youths see that for them the fast is
a choice for only 24 hours, while
for others hunger is a reality some
people face every day of their
lives.
Swope said youths are always
being encouraged to go out and
change the world, but Food Fast
shows them how to do that.
Sue Matour, youth minister
of St. Teresa of Avilla Parish in
Norristown, Pa., said it gives
youths a chance to do something
for both the community and raise
awareness globally.
“As Catholics, we are called
to not only look locally but also
internationally,” said Matour,
adding that Food Fast is one of her
favorite youth group activities.
Matour said she was
impressed with how young
people take ownership of the
activities and unite together in
sacrifice during a short period of
time. During the fast, her youth
group in the past had volunteered
at a soup kitchen in Pennsylvania,
which was “eye opening for
them.” The youths made food
for others, while they themselves
went hungry.
Fundraising has become an
additional option for Food Fast,
with CRS offering three programs
to which parishes can choose to
donate: Peace in Sudan, Water in
Afghanistan and CRS programs
around the world.
After the 2010 earthquake in
Haiti, many parishes asked that
their money be sent for the relief
of the country. Swope said that
half of the money CRS received
was raised for Haiti.
Food Fast is often connected
in parishes with Operation Rice
Bowl, CRS’ Lenten program that
encourages Catholics to give up
a meal and donate the money
saved to help fund development
programs designed to increase
food security across the world.
Both youth ministers and
CRS have found Food Fast to be
a great Lenten tradition.
It’s a blessing, the resource
has been a wonderful opportunity
to gather our community together
to put on a good retreat.

The Stations of the Cross
with Pope John Paul II
by Joseph M. Champlin
On Good Friday evening
of 1991, Pope John Paul II lead
people gathered at the Roman
Colosseum in the Stations of the
Cross. But on this remarkable
occasion, Pope John Paul changes
the format. He alters the fourteen
stations and adds a fifteenth.
Some of the traditional stations
are retained, while others are
dropped and new stations are
added. All of the stations are
based on gospel events. Now
these historic Stations -- with
their richly biblical approach -have been adapted for public and
private use by bestselling author
Father Joseph M. Champlin.
Each station features a short
reading from the gospel passion
narratives, a brief reflection and
a prayer response adapted from

Lent and Easter Wisdom
from Pope John Paul II
Compiled by John V. Kruse, PhD
Beloved Pope John Paul II
was one of the most popular and
inspirational religious figures
of our time. In Lent and Easter
Wisdom from Pope John Paul II,
the late Holy Fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thoughtprovoking words lead readers
through a journey of conversion
throughout the season.

To order, go to www.liguori.
org or call 1-800-325-9521.
128-page paperback
978-0-7648-1412
$10.99
Mysteries of Light
Meditations on the Mysteries of
the Rosary with Pope John Paul II
This book offers simple
meditations written by Pope
John Paul II on each of the 20
Mysteries of the Rosary.

A perfect companion piece to
praying the Rosary during Lent.
This book, from a man who was
deeply devoted to Mary and to
the power of praying the Rosary,
wrote these heartfelt meditations
that will help draw you closer
to Jesus through reflection upon
these bibical passages.
To order, go to www.liguori.
org or call 1-800-325-9521.
48-page paperback
978-0-7648-1069
$9.99

Page 21

March 14, 2011

Mars Needs Moms welcomes venerable values
By John Mulderig
Catholic News Service
NEW YORK (CNS) -Vivid animation and a ringing
endorsement of the traditional
family combine to make the
endearing adventure “Mars Needs
Moms” (Disney) a film kids can
enjoy and parents will appreciate.
But, though suitable for all
(a few mild potty jokes aside),
director and co-writer Simon
Wells’ technically accomplished
screen version of Berkeley
Breathed’s children’s book sees
its characters running a long
gauntlet of dangers, and so may
prove too scary for the most
sensitive.
With its cartoon images
based on the live-action motions
of its cast -- as we’re shown
during the closing credits -- this
is the visually rich tale of Milo
(Seth Green), a typical 9-year-old
boy who is destined to have some
very unusual experiences.
A fan of zombie movies, but
not of broccoli or taking out the
garbage, Milo has a run-in in the
opening scenes with his loving
but no-nonsense Mom (Joan
Cusack) -- Dad (Tom Everett
Scott) is away on a business trip -and drives her to tears by hastily

‘MARS NEEDS MOMS’. The characters Gribble and Milo are pictured in a scene from the movie “Mars Needs Moms.”
The Catholic News Service classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating
is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some ma terial may not be suitable for children. (CNS photo/Disney)

remarking that he’d be better off
without her.
Milo’s ill-considered theory
unexpectedly gets put to the test
later that night when a crew of
Martians arrives and kidnaps
Mom. Stowing away on their
rocker, Milo too is transported to
the Red Planet.
Once there, Milo learns that
the aliens -- led by Mindy Sterling
as a prune-faced villainess called
The Supervisor -- have developed
a procedure for extracting the

nurturing qualities of particularly
effective human mothers and
transplanting them into the
otherwise clueless nanny-bots
who have charge of their own
young. He also discovers that the
process, if completed, will cost
Mom her life.
Milo’s rescue efforts are
aided by Gribble (Dan Fogler),
a goofy but good-hearted human
fugitive who first came to Mars
when his mom was abducted
for the same purpose, and by

Ki (Elisabeth Harnois), a freespirited Martian rebel whose
protests against the system take
the form of bright psychedelic
graffiti.
As our heroes fight the
emotionless,
authoritarian
matriarchy that now prevails on
Mars -- boy babies are sent to
a male underworld at birth and
even the girls who remain above
are raised entirely by the robots
and have no ties to either of
their parents -- the trio uncovers

evidence that affectionate nuclear
families like Milo’s were once the
norm there.
Wells’ script -- penned in
collaboration with wife Wendy
Wells -- clearly affirms that this
older model of society is a far
preferable one, based as it is on
what Milo calls “the love thing.”
And, inevitably, the crusade
to save Mom merges with the
struggle to restore Martian
familial bonds.
Bolstered by this welcome
celebration of venerable values,
and free of any genuinely
objectionable material, “Mars
Needs Moms” can be warmly
recommended for all but easily
frightened small fry. For them,
the 3D-enhanced sight of Milo
dangling off a cliff or, in a later
scene, gasping for air when
accidentally exposed to the
hostile atmosphere on Mars might
be much too intense.
The
film
contains
considerable peril and a bit of light
scatological humor. The Catholic
News Service classification is A-I
-- general patronage. The Motion
Picture Association of America
rating is PG -- parental guidance
suggested.
--
Mulderig is on the staff
of Catholic News Service. More
reviews are available online at
www.usccb.org/movies

Did you
Know?
A recent update of a geographic
census for the residents of St.
Mary’s Residential Training Facility
showed that our 202 residents
have families who reside in 45
of Louisiana’s 64 parishes that
include 86 cities and communities.
When you add up all of the family
members, St. Mary’s directly
impacts over 1,500 individuals!

Page 22

March 14, 2011

St. Patrick’s Day Concert

Catholic Charismatic Renewal

Red River Chorale will present a St. Patrick’s Day concert on Saturday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church on Jackson Street in Alexandria.
The title of the concert is “A Day to be Irish.” Tickets
are $10 for adults; $5 for students.

The Southern Regional Conference of the Catholic
Charismatic Renewal will be held April 1-3 at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner, La. A Youth Workshop will
be available at the same time for youth and young adults.
All priests, religious brothers and sisters, deacons and
their families are invited to attend the conference at no
charge, but pre-registration is requested. The fee schedule is as follows: individual adult $50; married couple
$70; family (same household) $80; single session $20;
youth workshop $20; all day Saturday $40. Registration
online is encouraged. For more information, contact the
Conference Office at info@crrno.org or call (504) 8281368.

Fr. Ken Roy Memorial Golf Tournament
The Fr. Ken Roy Memorial Golf Tournament has
changed the date and place to Friday, March 25 at Alexandria Golf and Country Club. Proceeds will benefit
Holy Savior Menard High School’s athletic and academic programs. In the spirit of Fr. Ken Roy, who showed
particular love for the poor, a portion of the proceeds
from the tournament will also be donated to one of his
favorite charities. For more information, call 767-1855
or 201-7168.

Pro-Life Oratory Contest
The Rapides Right to Life is sponsoring the local division of the National Right to Life Oratory Contest. Any
high school junior or senior is eligible to enter the contest by submitting a 5-7 minute speech on any pro-life
issue – including:
• The Tragedy of Abortion
• The Tragedy of Euthanasia
• The Tragedy of Infanticide
• The Tragedy of Embryonic Stem Cell Research
All entries are due by Friday, March 26. On Saturday, April 6, the speeches will be delivered to a panel of
judges at the Rapides Parish Library at 10 a.m. Local
winners will receive $200 for first place and $100 for
second place. Call 318-352-2134 for details and registration form.
The winner of the local contest will advance to the
state contest April 30 in Kenner, La., where prizes of
$500 and $250 will be awarded. The national contest
will be held in June 25 in Washington DC, with prizes of
$1,000, $750, $500, and $250.

Carlow Choir Concert
The Carlow Choir, under the direction of John De
Chiaro, will perform in concert on Sunday, April 3 at
2:30 p.m. at St. Joseph Church in Marksville. The concert is free and open to the public. The Carlow Choir
will also perform Sunday, March 13 at 3 p.m. at St. Joan
of Arc Church in Oberlin, La.

Avoyelles Parish
Businesses

Advertise in
The Church Today
Contact Carla Moreau
318-346-7829

COUNCIL #3200 - Floyd Morgan, Junior Ducote, John Tuminello, and Terry Young KC Council #3200 cooked jambalaya
Feb. 9 for the LSU-A students noon meal.

Sondra Abrahams to speak
Sondra Abrahams will speak April 8 and 9 at 6 p.m. at St.
Juliana Catholic Church in Alexandria. More than 30 years
ago, Sondra had a near-death experience after having a
reaction to medicine following minor surgery. Her neardeath experience went beyond the black tunnel and the
bright light. She says she saw the boundaries of heaven,
the levels of purgatory, and the firey pits of hell and was
told by Jesus that she would remember all she saw. Hear
the entire story April 8 and 9.

St. Anthony School Fair

Painted Glass Window raffle

Daffodil Day

The Altar Society of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in
Vidalia has been donated a beautiful piece of artwork by
one our parishioners that will be raffled as a fund-raiser.
The creator, Becky Watson Darian, used an antique window (36” X 27”) out of an old house and reverse painted
the beautiful display of Jesus serving the Blessed Host.
She sealed the design onto the back of the glass panes
(there are six separate panes of glass in the window). It
would be ideal as a large sun-catcher or wall display.

The American Cancer Society is sponsoring Daffodil Day
on Tueday, March 22. Send a vase of daffodils ($35)to
your favorite person and make them smile while supporting the American Cancer Society. To order, call Janet Bonnette at 318-466-6074 or Nikki Mayer at 318-787-6274.

Tickets are $5 each or three for $10. The winner will
be announced April 24; you do not have to be present to
win. To purchase a ticket, call Liz at 318/757-3904 or
just mail a check made payable to OLL Altar Society to
P. O. Box 460, Vidalia, LA 71373.

St. Anthony School is having a church fair on Saturday,
April 2. Events include a balloon launch, bingo with a
$500 jackpot, dessert judging, field games, and a crawfish
boil at 6 p.m. followed by a street dance with a live band.
A 5 p.m. Mass will be celebrated on Saturday on the fair
grounds. BBQ dinners will be served on Sunday, April 3
from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Tickets are $7 per plate.